The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for winding a printed roll of linerless labels and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for winding a printed roll of linerless labels from an unprinted roll of linerless direct thermal or thermal transfer ribbon labels.
Conventional labels generally include a pressure sensitive adhesive fixed to the non-printing side of the substrate that is mounted on a liner, which has been coated with a release coating. The liner acts as a support for transport, printing and storage, and after the label is removed from the liner, it must be disposed of.
Preprinted labels are processed using a printing unit that unwinds the rolled unprinted labels, prints a repeating pattern on the labels and dispenses the printed labels to a rewinding unit. The rewinding unit has a main body section and a rotatable shaft and rewinds the labels into a printed roll for subsequent customer use. The main body of the rewinder is used as a side guide to ensure that the rewound roll is even. Alternative rewinding units include plastic disks that are placed on each side of the rewinding roll for added evening of the roll.
Linerless labels are known to have advantages over conventional pressure sensitive labels. The linerless label has tis substrate face coated with a release coating and its substrate back with a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), and is wound in a roll configuration so that the PSA is in contact with the release coating, and the release coating faces outwardly. The linerless construction offers advantages and lower costs due to substantial material reduction, elimination of disposal concerns and costs associated with release coated liners, and in providing approximately twice as many labels per roll. One such linerless label is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,383. The labels described in that patent have a thermosensitive layer with dye for forming color images, and a silicone release coating. It is necessary to provide a barrier layer between the silicone release layer and the thermosensitive material, which increases the costs of production of the linerless labels.
Because the structure of the linerless labels sticks to itself when wound in a roll, the roll will not slide off itself, and side guides for rewinding are not necessary. In particular, side guides contribute potential catch points for the media's adhesive. Once the media catches, bubbles and wrinkles may be induced in the rewound roll.